Overcoming the Obstacle Course: Teenage Boys and Reading

Overcoming the Obstacle Course: Teenage Boys and Reading

Jones, P., & Fiorelli, D. C. (2003). Overcoming the Obstacle Course: Teenage Boys and Reading. Teacher Librarian, 30(3), 9.

This article addresses the difficulty of reading among teenage boys in the U.S. Jones and Fiorelli summarize the current research that explains the reading and non-reading habits of boys. In it, they list suggestions about the following topics:

• What boys see as obstacles

• What the teacher-librarian can do

• Building a guy-friendly collection 

• Twenty great fiction books for grade 7 boys

• And a collection of success stories from teacher-librarians. 

• They also provide references to 30 sources where we can delve deeper into this topic. 

Evaluation: The issue of boys not reading is one that has been troubling me and should be one that all secondary teacher librarians should be addressing. This resource provides valuable information that can kickstart a librarian's effort to increase readership of adolescent boys. This allows us to take immediate action.

LGBTQ Collection Development

Deligencia, Nick

Fiehn, B. & Suzuki, T. (2013, November 6).  LGBTQ diversity: Building a collection for independent readers. Retrieved from http://www.slj.com/2013/11/collection-development/lgbtq-diversity-building-a-collection-for-independent-readers/

Summary:  The authors recommend 17 books for students in grades 4-9.  LGBTQ materials may face challenges from the community, but libraries must recognize that “nearly 2 million children live in same-sex parent homes; they are no longer an exception in the diversity of family constructs.”  Additionally, many students may identify as LGBTQ themselves, or choose to ally themselves with those who do.

Most books on the list do not feature LGBTQ main characters.  There are fiction and nonfiction titles.

Comments:  California mandates LGBT inclusion in the curriculum.  There is no age/grade requirement for when/how this is to be accomplished.  I work in a fairly progressive-minded high school, and there is a segment of the student population that openly identifies as LGBTQ.  Thoughtful inclusion of books in this genre supports current and future students, as well as state curriculum guidelines.  Many students in the school read at the 5-7 grade level, so the books on the list should be accessible for independent reading.  This article provided 17 concrete, vetted recommendations along with a brief summary of each title--a great time-saver for a school librarian!

So You Bought a Racist Book...

Micka, Tracy

INFO266, Fall 2016

Angie Manfredi (2016, August 10). So you bought a racist book for your library: now what? [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://readingwhilewhite.blogspot.com/2016/08/so-you-bought-racist-book-for-your.html

Summary:

In charge of collection development, the author reiterates the importance of reading book reviews critically and following your own judgement. She also offers advice on what to do if you already have a potentially offensive book on your shelves.

My Comments:

I think many busy librarians may have relied on professional reviews for book selections and later came to find out their choice was a mistake. How do we walk the line between creating an overly subjective collection and a totally crowd sourced one (including patron requests and professional reviews), that may result in reiterating stereotypes that mainstream culture accepts?

Outstanding Books for the College Bound and School Libraries

Amy Jessica McMillan

INFO 266

April 24, 2016

Dando, P. (2011). Outstanding books in school libraries. Carstensen, A. (Ed.). In Outstanding books for the college bound: Titles and programs for a new generation (pp. 21 - 28). Chicago, IL, USA: ALA Editions. Retrieved from http://www.ebrary.com

While many public and school librarians are acquainted with the Young Adult Library Association's online list Outstanding Books for the College Bound, they may not know there is a book by the same title. The book version expands on what is available online by describing how librarians can use the Outstanding Books list in different library settings, including public, academic and school libraries. In the chapter "Outstanding Books for School Libraries," Dando gives an overview for why school librarians should use this list when considering what to stock on their shelves. According to Dando, the Outstanding Book list helps librarians find the perfect match between "classics, YA literature, and resources to support the curriculum" (p. 21). She also gives advice for how to incorporate the list into a school library program through summer reading, curriculum connections, and teacher or classroom collaborations. There are sections about marketing the Outstanding Books list, which books are best for book talks, and which to use with book clubs.

From what I read, the Outstanding Book list is perfect for high school readers who want to challenge themselves and widen their interests. For those who work with junior high students, there are still many titles appropriate for early adolescent readers. The ones that jump out to me from the English list are The Curious Incident of the Dog at Nighttime by Mark Haddon and The Book Thief by Mark Zusak. I recommend that junior high school librarians do a little more research on the titles before providing a revised Outstanding Book list to their patrons. Still, Outstanding Books could help all educators interested in vertical articulation between grade levels because it provides clues as to what students will be expected to read in high school and beyond. In fact, I liked this list so much I added the following titles to my own Goodreads "want to read" list: Bill Bryson's Shakespeare: The World as a Stage; an anthology of literature titled Rotten English, edited by Dora Ahmand; and Dressed: A Century of Hollywood Costume Design by Deborah Nadoolman Landis. If Outstanding Books made me want to stretch myself as a reader, I imagine it will inspire younger readers in the same way.

As an English teacher (and aspiring school librarian), I generally like to have students read whatever they want, provided they read widely and consistently. However, I agree with Dando when she says, "...teachers have an obligation to ensure that the reading relates to their curriculum and is substantial enough to merit study and analysis" (p. 221). The lists and annotations provide by Outstanding Books for the College Bound does just that. I not only recommend this book, but I think it a must-have for all librarians who work with young adults.